by our College Data Analytics TeamAnimal Training was the 1,111 most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 73 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 15.1% reduction in animal training degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 84.
Our 2023 Best Animal Training Schools ranking analyzes 1 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for animal training students. Explore this or one of our many other custom animal training rankings further below.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in animal training is teaching others how to do something. Required skills include talking to others to convey information effectively and selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. In addition to these basic animal training program qualifications, to serve in some animal training careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of animal training degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in animal training to something that takes less time like a . Different animal training degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to animal training, with approximately 27.7% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for animal training workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 27.7% |
| Doctoral Degree | 21.5% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 14.1% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 10.5% |
| Some College Courses | 10.3% |
Most workers in animal training have at least a bachelor's degree. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in animal training have obtained.
The education level required is different depending on the animal training career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your animal training degree? Animal Training careers are expected to grow 10.5% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to animal training.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Trainers | 61,000 | 11.1% |
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | 13,600 | 7.9% |
As you might expect, salaries for animal training graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for animal training graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers animal training grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Agricultural Sciences Professors | $90,890 |
| Animal Trainers | $35,260 |
With over 9 different animal training degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased animal training school rankings to help you with this.
One of 5 majors within the Animal Services area of study, Animal Training has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Equine Studies | 609 |
| Dog/Pet/Animal Grooming | 277 |
| Agricultural & Domestic Animal Services | 29 |
| Taxidermy/Taxidermist | 2 |
Image Credit: By Corey Hensley under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
